2018 SASS EL Prelims P1 SectC w Ans

SASS 2018 4E5N EL Prelim Exam – Sample Essays 1 Q 3. Describe your favourite place and explain why this place holds so much meaning for you. There is a playground near my home that I used to frequent with my father. We first visited it when I could walk independently but was barely capable of reaching the cookie jar on top of a kitchen counter without assistance. Everything seemed to overwhelm your senses when you were younger. After all, you were experiencing everything for the first time. The multi-chromatic colours of the world seemed sharper and more vivid; the sounds, more clear and melodious. The world seemed more spontaneous, wonder filled and ripe for adventure. The simplest things in life can become objects of fixative obsession for toddlers and who can blame them? The second visit to the zoo or second time eating chocolate will never be as magical or surreal as the first. This playground was nothing to brag about. There was a swing that I had imagined was capable of sending me to the moon if only my father had the required strength, and a tall lead-paint covered slide with a see-saw set next to it. The colour of the slide was an obnoxiously garish crimson and the pivot of the see-saw had two cartoon horses plastered around it, directly opposite one another. It was no bigger than half a school hall. Still, I remember countless days spent there, running around with boundless energy supplied by the vigour of youth. I remember the zephyr caressing my supple cheeks on each ride down the slide, as it seemingly accelerated me to the speed of light, thinking to myself that if only it were longer, maybe -- just maybe -- I could have flown like Superman. I felt safer at the playground than I did at home despite it being a public place. It was the only location in the neighbourhood that seemed to be unmolested by the stench of industrial smog and pollution. The breeze had a crisp and crystalline quality to it that I sorely miss and the overall atmosphere of the place was one of carefree optimism. Looking back, it is painful to think that there was a moment when my father and I went there for the last time –without realising it. Alas, today, the playground is an art of commissioned mess awaiting its death sentence imposed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore. The lead paint has corroded -- it sharply protrudes in awkward angles from the smooth stainless-steel sheet it is laid on and the swing’s chains have rusted into immobility. Even if they could still move with creaking noises, the flaking and compromised structure probably would not even support a child’s weight. The cartoon horses have decayed into macabre caricatures of what they once were and now seem hostile, alien and even satanic. The entire carnival of rust stands in blatant defiance of every public safety code. Last I heard, the demolition team may come in with the wrecking ball as the entire estate has been slated for redevelopment. This playground is still my favourite place. For some intangible reason it has an undeniable charm to it -- a certain je nais se quoi. It once was a sanctuary in my childhood, a place of catharsis after a long day at kindergarten as I sat in my throne – swing seat -- to observe the world pass by. In the end, entropy will have its way in the universe and everything will fall into ruins and dust. The most precious things we have in this world are our treasured memories, not the places we hold dear or wealth we own. This playground will always stay with me as my favourite place, no matter how old I am or wherever I may roam. (612 words) Stanley made only a few errors and usually it is not advisable to write beyond 500 words. Written by Stanley Yukon (4SA 2018); Edited by Mr Liang SF Commented [LSF1]: Show-not-tell strategy used effectively Commented [LSF2]: Effective use of description cum explanation to ensure meeting question requirements Commented [LSF3]: Use of hyperbole and can almost feel what it was like sitting on that swing Commented [LSF4]: Description to appeal to sense of sight Commented [LSF5]: Sense of touch described Commented [LSF6]: Expert use of a complex sentence to reveal thoughts Commented [LSF7]: Sense of smell covered Commented [LSF8]: Personification Commented [LSF9]: Sense of sound covered Commented [LSF10]: List of three for emphasis Commented [LSF11]: French for a quality that eludes description Commented [LSF12]: Metaphor Commented [LSF13]: Use of apt and wide vocab for effect

SASS 2018 4E5N EL Prelim Exam – Sample Essays 2 Q 4: ‘Zoos should be abolished because they promote the misery of animals.’ What are your views? Zoos have come to be a major draw for both the young and old all over the world. In which other place would you one be able to see so many different species within such a close distance of each other? However, the proliferation of zoos has raised some ethical issues: most notably, zoos promote the misery of animals due to the subpar conditions they provide, compared to the animals’ natural habitats. Hence many people argue that zoos should cease to exist. While this may somewhat be the case, zoos still do a lot much to help our natural world and the animals that they house. Firstly, zoos promote the appreciation of animals and the diversity of life on our planet. Zoos provide something unique to us, giving us a close-up encounter of different animals. By allowing us to see and sometimes interact with animals, it can create a sense of attachment and wonder for animals among us. Consequently, this will help us to develop a sense of appreciation of animals and the diversity of natural life. This can have a positive effect on our natural biodiversity, as people may be encouraged to do more to protect Earth’s wildlife. Without the visits to the zoo that I made when I was a child, I would not have gained the love of animals that I have today. My love for animals This has inspired me to donate to organisations that protect wildlife. Hence, zoos allow us to value nature in general. Moving on, zoos can be a sanctuary to help endangered species. Many endangered animals face the common plight of not being able to repopulate. Furthermore, the declining condition of natural habitats due to man-made activities makes an animals’ ability to survive all the more difficult as well. That is where zoos can be a safe haven for animals, as they can be constantly monitored and sufficiently cared for to have good well- being. Also, zoos can utilise technology, such as artificial insemination, to make it easier for animals, especially endangered ones, to reproduce. Furthermore Moreover, by displaying this endangered animals in their exhibits and highlighting their plight, zoos can raise awareness of these animals and help to increase public support of these zoos conservation efforts. Therefore, zoos can help to prevent animals from extinction. Nevertheless, there is no denying that zoos impact animals negatively too. The confinement that zoos bring can inevitably lead to negative psychological impacts on animals as zoos cannot provide the comfort and freedom natural habitats such as forests and oceans provide. Zoos can be constricting to animals as their enclosures would be nowhere as big as their original habitats. This lack of space and freedom can place discomfort and stress on animals. Furthermore, the noise created by visitors, and the fact that they are constantly being watched by humans, can be unnerving to animals. Fortunately, most zoos do recognise this problem and there are rules in place to ensure these zoos do their best to alleviate the situation. This can include mimicking aspects of animals’ natural habitats like placing